Even playing on the interior of the defensive line, Shayon Green was able to break away from blockers often enough to terrorize opponents all over the field.

So it goes without saying that Tift County (Ga.) coach Jay Walls is looking forward to seeing what the 6-foot-2, 225-pounder can do playing in space. Green, who verbally committed to the Boilermakers Wednesday, will play weakside linebacker and defensive end as a senior at Tift County.

"I think Purdue has the same thing in mind," Walls said Thursday morning. "That they are going to look at him as kind of that hybrid rush end/outside linebacker-type guy. Because when you turn on the film, you can see that his motor is running all the time and he gets to the football."

Green, a two-star recruit who was named by Rivals.com as a "Prospect on the rise" last month, chose Purdue over offers from Auburn, Ole Miss, South Florida and UCF, among others. Walls says the Boilers' commitment toward recruiting Green went a long way toward the decision.

"They've shown a lot of interest since early on," Walls said. "They saw film on him during the recruiting process. When they could visit in May, they were down here visiting and they just stayed in contact with him.

"We talked about the kind of program that Purdue has. We talked to him about the school, academically, and what kind of weight getting a degree from there carries."

Even as primarily a nose tackle last season - where players are often charged with simply occupying blockers to free up teammates for tackles - Green finished with 60 tackles and eight sacks. As a linebacker and end, Walls thinks Green will be better able to use his speed; he's been clocked at 4.62 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

"He does such a great job running to the football, did a great job pass rushing," Walls said. "He's an explosive player in that he has great speed and just makes plays. You see him making tackles, sacks, tackles for loss, causes fumbles, recovers fumbles, blocks kicks, just an all-around player."

Green becomes Purdue's fourth verbal commitment in the '09 class and the first outside of the state of Florida.

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